About the university
UNSW College is the pathway college of UNSW Sydney, based on the university's Kensington campus. It says it was the first in Australia to deliver pathway programs. Its Foundation Studies lead into the first year of a UNSW degree, and its 12-month Diplomas into the second year of a UNSW degree in architecture, commerce, computer science, engineering, media or science. It also runs Pre-Masters programs of one term, Academic English courses, and its own three-year Applied Degrees in business and IT.
Indian students use UNSW College when their marks or English scores are a little below direct entry to UNSW. To move on to UNSW from a diploma, you need a 70% grade in the Communication and Academic Literacy course (equal to IELTS 6.5) and a pass in all other courses. Fees are high for a pathway: a 2027 diploma costs about A$46,000–A$56,000 for the 12 months.
- Type
- UNSW Sydney's pathway college and an Institute of Higher Education (TEQSA PRV13020, CRICOS 01020K)
- Graduates
- 125,000+ from its Foundation and Diploma programs (UNSW College figure)
- Campus
- UNSW Sydney's Kensington campus (Building L5, 223 Anzac Parade)
- Programs
- Foundation Studies, Diplomas, Applied Degrees (bachelor's), Pre-Masters and Academic English
- Diploma intakes
- January, May and September
Rankings
Popular courses with Indian students
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- A$49,440
- Duration
- 12 months (3 terms)
- Intakes
- January; May; August (see key dates)
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements; offers depend on your English test result
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- A$49,440
- Duration
- 12 months
- Intakes
- January; May; September
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements; offers depend on your English test result
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- A$55,620
- Duration
- 12 months
- Intakes
- January; May; September
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements; offers depend on your English test result
- Undergraduate
Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Development)
- Fee / year
- A$34,080
- Duration
- 3 years (12 terms of 8 weeks); exit with a diploma after year 1 or an associate degree after year 2
- Intakes
- March; October
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements
- Undergraduate
Bachelor of Information Technology (Cyber Defence and Networking)
- Fee / year
- A$34,080
- Duration
- 3 years; exit with a diploma after year 1 or an associate degree after year 2
- Intakes
- See the course page
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements
- Undergraduate
Bachelor of Applied Business (Business Management)
- Fee / year
- A$34,080
- Duration
- 3 years; exit with a diploma after year 1 or an associate degree after year 2
- Intakes
- See the course page
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- A$49,440
- Duration
- 12 months
- Intakes
- January; May; September
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements; offers depend on your English test result
- Undergraduate
- Fee / year
- A$49,020
- Duration
- 12 months
- Intakes
- January; May; September
- English
- Set by UNSW College's entry requirements; offers depend on your English test result
Fees for international students
| Course | Duration | Fee / year (AUD) | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diploma of Computer Science | 12 months (3 terms) | A$49,440 | ≈ ₹32.1 lakh |
| Diploma of Engineering | 12 months | A$49,440 | ≈ ₹32.1 lakh |
| Diploma of Business | 12 months | A$55,620 | ≈ ₹36.2 lakh |
| Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Development) | 3 years (12 terms of 8 weeks); exit with a diploma after year 1 or an associate degree after year 2 | A$34,080 | ≈ ₹22.2 lakh |
| Bachelor of Information Technology (Cyber Defence and Networking) | 3 years; exit with a diploma after year 1 or an associate degree after year 2 | A$34,080 | ≈ ₹22.2 lakh |
| Bachelor of Applied Business (Business Management) | 3 years; exit with a diploma after year 1 or an associate degree after year 2 | A$34,080 | ≈ ₹22.2 lakh |
| Diploma of Science | 12 months | A$49,440 | ≈ ₹32.1 lakh |
| Diploma of Architecture | 12 months | A$49,020 | ≈ ₹31.9 lakh |
Fees are for international students for the entry year shown on each course page and can rise each year. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want a course shortlist with fees?Our counsellor will compare courses at UNSW College with similar universities in Australia.
Scholarships
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- Foundation Studies lead to the first year of any UNSW degree; Diplomas to the second year of a matching UNSW degree.
- Diplomas set minimum grades in mathematics, with assumed knowledge in relevant sciences for computer science, engineering and science.
- Class 12 entry scores by board are in the entry requirements selector on UNSW College's site; contact admissions if your qualification is not listed.
- To progress from a diploma to UNSW: 70% in Communication and Academic Literacy (equal to IELTS 6.5) and a pass in all other courses.
Postgraduate
- Pre-Masters programs (Engineering, IT, Media) take one term and lead to a UNSW master's degree; the 2027 fee is A$24,900.
Documents
- Passport
- Class 10, Class 11 and Class 12 mark sheets (or latest results)
- English test result no more than two years old at the program start date
- Degree transcripts for Pre-Masters
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| UNSW direct entry (standard tier) | IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0), TOEFL iBT 90, PTE 64 or Duolingo 120 |
| Higher tier | IELTS 7.0, TOEFL iBT 96, PTE 65 or Duolingo 130 |
| With an English course first | From IELTS 5.5 (no band below 5.0), PTE 46 or TOEFL iBT 65 with 20 weeks of UEEC; IELTS 6.0 for 10 or 15 weeks |
| Accepted tests | IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE, Duolingo and LanguageCert; results must be under two years old |
Accommodation and living costs
Students can live in UNSW-managed colleges and apartments on the Kensington campus, in homestay, in partner residences such as Scape and Iglu, or in private rentals. UNSW College publishes weekly prices for partner residences; UNSW-managed colleges and homestay prices are not shown.
| Item | In AUD | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Scape Kensington | A$699–949per week | ≈ ₹45,435 – ₹61,685 |
| Scape Darling Square | A$549–959per week | ≈ ₹35,685 – ₹62,335 |
| Iglu Central | A$739–899per week | ≈ ₹48,035 – ₹58,435 |
| New College (on campus, under-18 section) | A$510–572per week | ≈ ₹33,150 – ₹37,180 |
| Private shared house or apartmentPer student; UNSW College estimate | A$250–700per week | ≈ ₹16,250 – ₹45,500 |
Campus and location
UNSW College students study on UNSW Sydney's Kensington campus in Sydney's eastern suburbs and use its facilities.
- Based in Building L5 on UNSW's Kensington campus, 223 Anzac Parade.
- Diplomas run over three terms in 12 months; Applied Degrees in 8-week terms with weeknight classes and online learning.
- Applied Degrees include Work Integrated Learning and a Professional Practice experience with industry.
- Academic English courses (UEEC) prepare students who need a higher English score.
Careers and graduate outcomes
UNSW College is mainly a route into UNSW Sydney degrees. Its Applied Degrees build in work-integrated learning and industry projects. It publishes no graduate outcome figures on the pages reviewed. See our Australia guide for work rules and post-study work.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|
Studying in Australia
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in Australia. Our country guide covers them in detail:
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FAQs
How much does a UNSW College diploma cost?
The 2027 indicative fees for the 12-month diplomas are A$46,290 (Media and Communications) to A$55,620 (Business). Computer Science, Engineering and Science are A$49,440.
Will I get into UNSW after the diploma?
You move into the second year of the matching UNSW degree if you get 70% in Communication and Academic Literacy and pass all other courses.
When can I start?
Diplomas start in January, May or September. The Applied Degree in IT (Software Development) starts in March and October 2027.
Are there scholarships?
UNSW College says it has a range of scholarships but does not list them online. Ask its recruitment team; Foundation and Diploma students must accept the offer within four weeks to keep a scholarship.
Sources
- UNSW College: home (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: tuition fees (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: diplomas overview (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: Diploma of Computer Science (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: Bachelor of IT (Software Development) (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: Foundation Studies (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: entry requirements (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: scholarships (opens in a new tab)
- UNSW College: accommodation (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.unswcollege.edu.au (opens in a new tab)
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